Solid gains made through mediation

Mediation on Horizons Regional Council's One Plan is now complete with almost 70% of the appeal points resolved.

The Environment Court received 441 appeals against the plan, which aims to improve and control water quality and demand for water, and protect land and native habitat. 307 of these have been resolved with the remainder to be heard by the environment court early next year.

Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon congratulated both the appellants and Horizons staff on the progress made.

"The spirit in which parties have come to the table has been very positive. There has been a willingness to collaborate and work hard to find solutions as is evident in the number of agreements reached," said Mr Gordon.

Mr Gordon said although the court was the next step it didn't preclude parties continuing to search for resolution

"At the end of the day we all want to find resolution and have a plan in place that best supports the economic and environmental drivers of our region."

12 of the One Plan's 19 chapters can now be made operative and many rules of the remaining chapters can also be put in place.

Horizons chief executive Michael McCartney said that as well as resolving the remaining issues, the team would continue focusing on the plan's implementation.

"We are putting considerable effort into monitoring the plan's implementation and will adjust where appropriate. This will include putting in place a process to help guide the way the plan is implemented," said Mr McCartney.

Mr McCartney said stakeholder networks such as the Dairy Liaison Forum, Manawatu River Leaders' Forum, Sustainable Land Use Advisory Group, Biosecurity Liaison Group and other community networks would be integral in putting the plan into practice.

"These groups are made up of the people that will live with the consequences of the One Plan day to day and their feedback will be hugely valuable"

Mr Gordon said Horizons would remain open to modifying the One Plan over its ten year life where necessary.

"These are living documents that need to evolve over time and that's precisely what we're planning for. Knowledge and technology will advance during the life of the plan and we need to accommodate this."

ENDS

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